Descendant of a noble family, he was the eldest son of Cléophas de Godet Des Maretz, a lawyer. He first came to New France in 1609. On his return to Normandy in 1610 he encouraged the preparations being made by the ship-owners of Honfleur for cod-fishing and the fur trade; he lent money to assist in the chartering of ships. Godet Des Maretz crossed over again to Canada in 1610, 1620 and 1623, always with Gravé Du Pont. In 1621 he bore the title of Captain on the Coast of Touque (coastguard captain) in Europe.

By Jeanne Gravé Du Pont, whom he had married when he was an infantry officer, he had two children Christine and François. The latter, born about 1616, following in his grandfather Gravé’s footsteps, went to Canada in 1627 and stayed there until the capture of Quebec by the Kirkes. In 1645 he married Marie de La Marck, had one son, Paul, a future bishop of Chartres, and died 2 July 1652.

Claude de Godet was accompanied on his first voyage to New France by his supposed brother Jean Godet Du Parc. The latter was Champlain’s lieutenant, and it was to him that Champlain, before leaving for France in 1610, had confided the command of the fort at Quebec and of the 16 men remaining in it. Du Parc also was in charge of the wintering-over in 1612–13 and was in command at Quebec in 1616. He died 16 Nov. 1652 in France, at Saint-Germain-de-Clairefeuille.

We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage. Nous reconnaissons l’appui du gouvernement du Canada par l’entremise du ministère du Patrimoine canadien.